Background
Members of the NALP protein family typically contain a NACHT domain, a NACHT-associated
domain (NAD), a C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) region, and an N-terminal pyrin domain
(PYD). The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the NALP protein family despite lacking
the LRR region. This protein likely plays a regulatory role in the innate immune system. The
protein belongs to the signal-induced multiprotein complex, the inflammasome, that
activates the pro-inflammatory caspases, caspase-1 and caspase-5. Other experiments
indicate that this gene acts as a multifunctional negative regulator of inflammation and
apoptosis
